May 07, 2014

So I love food. I love gastro pubs. And I was exceptionally excited to try P&F.

Two weeks in, and there have obviously already been some mixed reviews - and sadly I'm about to add to the negative side. Yes, a new restaurant should probably be cut some slack... but... as an already well-established (and well-reviewed) concept in Kansas City, I would have thought the Omaha iteration would at least have been okay right out of the gate.

Unfortunately, as another reviewer said, the kitchen really fell flat.Starting off the meal with an Old Fashioned seemed like a good idea, since the specialty cocktail menu seemed very appealing.

Cocktail Time!

But sadly, what showed up had a very heavy ice-to-drink ratio, making it difficult to imbibe. Maybe I just have a big nose (okay, I know I do... the better to smell with!) but not being able to enjoy a cocktail without a cascade of cubes hitting me in the face isn't my idea of a good time. Probably should've asked for a stir straw, yes... or I could have transferred some ice to another glass... but it was already pretty watery tasting so I just sucked it down and moved on with life.

Ice, Ice, Baby.

When I look back on our nearly $80 meal, I enjoyed the mason jar of miller high life probably most of all... or maybe the pickles? In any case those were the [unfortunate] highlights.

Tied for second place were our two appetizers... The bacon-jam blue cheese toasts (winning flavor combo) and pretzel bites, which were like eating crunchy mini everything bagels. But don't try to put the spoon in the cheese dish or you'll have a mess on your hands.

Bacon Marmalade Toast and Pretzel Bite with Cheese

Speaking of spoons, I didn't get one with my soup. Which allowed the soup to cool down to a point that it was barely warm before I did get a spoon.

Fork + Soup = ??

Our server offered to bring another cup of soup, but I thought at that point I'd stick it out for the entrees. Now I wish I'd eaten the soup.

When it came to entrees... I surprisingly had a lot of trouble deciding. You'd think by now that I'd realize that doesn't bode well for the meal. But no. What can I say, I'm a slow learner.

Finally, I decided on the Griddled B.L.A.T. Sandwich, violating one of my cardinal rules of not ordering items I could make myself at home with a reasonable level of decency.

There was some experience at the table with this sandwich both in KC (life-changing) and in Omaha (disappointing) already, but two of us ordered it up anyway after seeing one come to a nearby table loaded down with thick-cut bacon.

Though, another adjacent table received the same sandwich... and the kitchen forgot to put bacon on it. (Huh?)

How sad am I now to be writing this review, saying that our meal at P&F Omaha was one of the most disappointing experiences in recent memory.

Where were the flavors in the entrees?

My sandwich did at least have bacon, but it was easily overshadowed by pile of lettuce and tomato. The bread was crusty (in the 'tear the roof of your mouth' kind of way). And the egg... It was under-cooked to the point that the white was mostly mush and it was just, in a word, runny (and not just the yolk). It was, to me, inedible.

Griddled B.L.A.T. sandwich

I tried a single bite of the Duck Ham Flatbread. That was enough of that.

Being able to turn out decent food is a basic function of a restaurant. And since the menu isn't large, you'd hope the emphasis would really already be there... here... whatever.

Our server, for the record, was great. I felt bad for her since we probably came across as "that table" where the people just cannot be pleased. I suppose in some ways we were, as the four of us commiserated outside afterwards.

Believe me, I NEVER want to be THAT person. I ALWAYS want to be the one raving about a new place. (The good kind of raving).

In this instance, however, it was the bad kind and if not for the appetizers I'd be writing a one-star review right now.

There's no chance I'll be back to try again anytime soon until I hear the food missteps have ironed themselves out. I also didn't enjoy the fact that I couldn't really hear our server at all and had trouble understanding some at our table of four... acoustical issues in the front room at least. Plus, now I have an unshakable craving for a decent B.L.A.T. sandwich. Must... make... at... home...